


A Promise of Protection

by allthetrek



Series: Heaven on Wheels [2]
Category: Hell on Wheels (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 13:18:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18592039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthetrek/pseuds/allthetrek
Summary: You almost get assaulted by a drunk one night in Hell on Wheels. Cullen intervenes, protecting you and taking care of you after.WARNINGS: *trigger warning*, attempted sexual assault, violence, mentions of blood.





	A Promise of Protection

It’s late in the evening, the scorching sun having set and you’ve just finished dinner at the hotel. You worked late at the infirmary, tending to one of the workers, who had been overcome by heat earlier in the day. You’d treated him with cool water and wet linens, and he had recovered enough for you to discharge him back to his tent to rest.

This heatwave has sent a lot of such cases your way. Now, at least, the blazing sun has retreated, the evening air a perfectly pleasant temperature as you walk the distance to your train car, enjoying the feeling of the breeze on your skin. As you walk, you hear a ruckus from the tavern, the usual drunken shenanigans transpiring, and you roll your eyes. Sometimes you wonder what you’re doing out here, but then your mind wanders to the life you’d had in New York, and how out of place you’d always felt there.

It feels like a lifetime ago that you left everything, your family’s wealth and connections, to come to this fabled Railroad town, of which you’d only imagined from the newspapers. The stories made it out to be the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Nebraska plains. Indeed, it had lived up to its reputation, but you’d stayed, your compassionate heart promising you that this was where you could be useful, purposeful. You’d swapped ladies luncheons and extravagant balls for broken ribs and bullet holes.

You continue your walk, taking the long way around as you enjoy the evening air, the town lit around you by the occasional lantern or torch, but mostly it’s dim. The stars overheard twinkle, and the light from a partial moon floods over the landscape with an eerie glow. As you approach your train car, you feel someone grab you, an arm clutches forcefully around your waist and a hand comes over your mouth.

You try to cry out, but you’re no match for your captor; a large, older man, who reeks of corn liquor. You try to resist, but you’re pushed ahead, your boots digging desperately into the scorched earth, leaving trails in the dirt. You try to cry out but the hand muffles your pleas, and you are pushed up against the car, your arm pinned between you and the wood, it’s happening so quickly!

You hear the man curse at you, his speech largely incoherent as he’s so intoxicated. A hand pulls at your skirt, and you try to fight back, but he slams you into the car, your head smashing painfully against the exterior and you are stunned. The metallic taste of blood floods your senses; your lip is bleeding. Your mind is uncoordinated, panic setting in, oh God why did you ever come to this hell-hole?!

Suddenly, the man is pulled off of you; it’s Cullen and he’s out for blood! He always keeps an eye on you, never trusting anyone in this town to be a decent human being. He’d seen you leave the hotel, and was waiting to see light in your train-car. Then, he could rest easy, knowing that you were alright. When that didn’t happen, his instincts kicked in, and he went looking for you. This railroad has taken so much from him already, he wasn’t going to let it take you, too.

You turn around, gathering your senses, still impaired from your blow to the head. The man lies on the ground, and Cullen is crouched over him, landing blow after blow to the man’s face. He’s going to kill him. You open your mouth to stop him, but no words come out. A group of people have heard the commotion and gather around, and some of the men stop Cullen, pulling him off before he ends the man.

Cullen stands up, looking down at the bloodied and beaten ingrate, and up at you staring in shock at the entire scene. The light is dim, but he can see blood on your temple, trailing down your cheek. His blood boils and he kicks the man’s side, a final blow before he growls at the others to lock him in the jail car. He’ll deal with him tomorrow, to the full extent of the law.

The man is carried unconscious toward the jail car, and Cullen catches his breath, shooing the others away with one glare and coming to you. You’re still in shock, you’ve never been so terrified in your life. You felt so helpless… Cullen looks you over, his pale eyes studying you in the dim light. Your eyes shine with tears; you feel the sting of them in your eyes, the heat of anger and violation starting to boil up inside of you. You feel sick, unsteady, nauseous.

Cullen doesn’t want you to be a spectacle for the others, and he guides you gently up the steps of your car and inside. No words are spoken between the two of you; you’re still processing what just happened, and he is too livid at the moment to say anything but curse words. He fights the urge to march over and kill the man who tried to violate you; you need him right now, and he stays by your side.

Caring and capable hands guide you to the edge of your bed, and you sit, barely feeling it beneath you. Cullen lights a lantern and some candles, and they illuminate your car, the moderately decorated space one that’s become home to you. Your accommodations are orderly, populated by simple furnishings. A few knick knacks and books adorn the surfaces. Cullen pulls the blinds down, giving the two of you privacy, shutting out the world outside. Inside, it’s just the two of you.

Moments pass and you stare ahead, just focusing on your breathing as your body comes down from the trauma. A damp cloth comes to your temple and you wince, recoiling in pain with a gasp. Cullen backs off, “I’m sorry, [Y/N]…”, he states, his voice cracking with emotion. He’s sorry this happened to you at all, he’s sorry he couldn’t get there sooner. All of the regret that’s housed within him, seeing you in pain, it kills him that much more.

You take a deep breath and focus on Cullen, the fact that he’s here, keeping you safe, and you’re so glad you’re not alone right now. So grateful for this incredible man, a beacon of light in this dark, dank place. You nod to him and allow him to tend to your wounds, which are not severe but will leave an unpleasant reminder of this night for some time.

The cloth brushes against your outer lip, which is now slightly swollen from impact, and you wince again. How many times have you tended to Cullen’s wounds, and now here he is, repaying the favor. He finishes tending to you and you manage to mutter a thank-you to him, and he smiles wearily in response. His expression is one of concern and relief, and his eyes search yours. You see in him a safe place to let out the intense emotion churning inside of you, and you sink into his arms, sobbing as he holds you, his hand stroking your back and the occasional comforting words exiting his lips.

He lets you cry in his arms, you don’t know how long, but his strong arms hold you, never failing to support you, shelter you, from the brutal world that is this place, and beyond. You’re the sweetest woman he’s ever known, your heart so big that he worries there are those who would take advantage of you, and he’s probably right. So he’s here for you, now and in the days to come, and he will never leave you, not so long as you’ll have him.

You finally feel calmer, and oh so exhausted, and you let Cullen help you pull your boots off and settle into bed. Your hand comes to his, and you squeeze it. “Will you stay with me tonight? Please?” you ask him.

You don’t care what people might think. You’d hope they would understand, but really, you’re through caring. Let them talk. You’re falling in love with this man, you know it in your heart. You care for him, trust him, and right now, you need him.

Cullen pulls his boots and jacket off, crawling into bed with you, and you lie on your side, allowing him to sidle up against you, the bed large enough to fit you both comfortably. His arm comes around you, and he holds you tight, finding your hand against your chest under the blanket and he holds it. His knuckles are sore from defending you earlier, but he couldn’t care less. He would risk life and limb for you, always.

You can feel his warm breath on your neck, he’s so close, and you feel relieved and protected. You turn your head slightly to speak to him; your words feel like hollow echoes still, you’re not yourself, and why should you be. “Thank you.”

He sighs against you, considering his reply. “I’ll never let anything happen to you, [Y/N].”

You smile slightly in the darkness, he’s so sweet, but it’s not realistic. Not in this world, and not with how you feel right now. “You can’t promise that,” you whisper.

“I just did,” he states, and he means it. With all of the loss he’s suffered, he never stops opening his heart, hopeful that one day he’ll find the peace he desperately seeks, and he’s found that peace with you. You make him a better man, just by standing next to him. You are his beacon of light in the darkness that was his life before he met you. The one good thing that’s come out of this life as a railroad man so far. And this time, nothing is going to take that away.


End file.
